Exiled
Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, pictured in 2013 in
Pennsylvania, was immediately accused by Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan of being behind the coup
attempt.AFP

Turkey has formally requested that the US extradite
Pennsylvania-based preacher Fetullah Gulen back to Turkey for his
alleged involvement in inciting last week's failed coup,
according to Turkish state media.

“We have sent four dossiers to the United States for the
extradition of the terrorist chief," Turkish prime minister
Binali Yildirim said during a ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) meeting at the parliament in Ankara,
Turkish media reported.

The White House later confirmed that Obama and Turkish
President Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone on Tuesday about
Gulen's status.

Over the weekend, Ankara called on the US to extradite the
75-year-old Turkish preacher and political figure, who
self-exiled to Pennsylvania in 1999.Erdogan has
accused Gulen of orchestrating the coup from afar, and he warned
that anyone who harbors such plotters would be considered "at
war" with Turkey.

Kerry categorically denied that the US had anything to do
with the failed uprising, and responded that the US would
"welcome" a request from Turkey to extradite Gulen granted Ankara
provided evidence of his involvement in the attempted
coup.

Turkish
Supporters are silhouetted against a screen showing President
Tayyip Erdogan during a pro-government demonstration in
AnkaraThomson
Reuters

Washington and Turkey have an extradition agreement, but
Gulen would presumably be charged with treason, which does not
appear to be listed as an "extraditable" act,
CNN noted.

A US official told Reuters that "we still
cannot confirm the physical receipt of an extradition request,
we're in touch with Turkish officials...They have indicated they
will hand it over."

The State Department is still reviewing the documents sent over
by Turkish officials about Gulen, and has yet to confirm or deny
whether they amount to a formal extradition request, according to
Reuters.

Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said that
"if and when we receive a request, we will
evaluate that request based on the extradition treaty that was
signed by the U.S. and Turkey more than 30 years ago."

Gulen, for his part, has denied any knowledge of or
involvement in the uprising.

“I condemn and reject in the strongest terms the attempted
coup,” he told reporters from outside his home in Pennsylvania
over the weekend.

In addition to more than 2,000 members of the Turkish armed
forces, Ankara has ordered that at least 50 high-level civil
servants, 8,000 police officers, and 30 regional governors with
alleged ties to the coup plotters be either arrested or fired,
according to Reuters.

On Tuesday, Ankara ordered the resignation of more than 1,500
university deans across the country.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also told a crowd of
supporters Saturday night that the country would look into
reinstating the death penalty for the "traitors" who plotted to
overthrow his government.

On Monday, US Secretary of State John Kerry cautioned Turkey
against abandoning due process in its crackdown, implying that
Turkey's NATO membership would be scrutinized if the country
began to "backslide" away from its democratic principles.